An unlikley friend
by Ginger1280
Summary: This is more a a prequel to 'The little angel'. This explains where Matt comes in, and how he became a part of the O'mally family. He was an assassin hired to kill Marcus, but thanks to Marcus' kindness to him years earlier, he decides to help him escape.
1. the shadowy figure

Disclaimer: I have never owned the O'Mally's and I never will.

Ginger:This is kind of an explination as to where Matt in 'the little angel' comes from.

Marcus starred at the papers before him. He was getting exausted as he tried to figure things out.

Someone was assassinating mafia leaders and no one could figure out who. Everyone was involved. The CIA, the FBI, the marshalls and even with the local cops no one could seem to figure this one out.

"Marcus." came a voice, breaking into his thoughts.

It was Quinn.

"What is it Quinn?" he sighed.

"Go home. Shari's waiting. You've only been married for a month, and you've bearly spent any time with her."

"I know, but I'm just stumped on this case." he grumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"SO is the rest of the federal government. Go home, take tomarrow off. You need to rest."

"Good idea." said Marcus shoving the papers into his breifcase. "I'll see you later Quinn." he said. Then he walked out of the office.

He spent the long walk to his car thinking.

"Why is this case bothering me so much?" he growled as he approached his car. He froze when he saw a reflection of a black figure in his windshield.

The figure was watching him a black coat blowing in the light breeze as he stood on the edge of the wall.

Marcus slowly reached for his gun. He quickly whirled around and was astonished to find that the figure had dissapeared. He turned to look into the windshield to see the reflection gone.

"My mind's playing tricks on me." he sighed. "I'm too tired. But then... why did that reflection stay for so long?"

He quickly jumped into the car and drove home, still tense and a bit jumpy.

When he arrived home he found the house dark and silent. Shari had gone to sleep and he didn't want to disturb her.

Marcus just ploped down on the couch and kicked off his shoes hoping he could calm down as the wind picked up outside.

"I'm just tired. I'm okay. Nothing's wrong." he told himself as he glanced at the sliding glass door. But he stopped dead.

The figure was outside of his home. Close enough he could see a face, but he couldn't make out the details. But just as quickly as it had appeared it dissapeared.

Marcus picked up his gun and ran to the door to find that there was no one in the back yard.

"This can't just be my mind playing tricks on me. Someone followed me!"

The realization frightened him. What about Shari? He rushed upstairs to find his wife silently sleeping in their bed.

Feeling like a child frightened by a shadow he quietly climbed into bed in his clothes and hid under the blankets beside Shari where he soon fell asleep.

Chapter 1 is done. Can anyone guess what the shadow is? Probobly not yet anyway. But I hope you enjoyed!


	2. paranoia sets in

Disclaimer: I still don't own the O'Mallys

Ginger: and now for chapter two.

The next morning Marcus woke up to hear a storm raging outside and Shari starring at him in concern.

"Marcus? Are you alright?" she asked softly.

"Huh? What? Oh! I'm fine." he grumbled tiredly.

"Then why are you in your clothes, and hiding under the covers?"

"Nothing, I was just... just tired last night." he sighed, remembering the figure he had seen the night before.

Shari just kissed his forehead and brushed back his hair. "Alright, just checking. Do you want me to make breakfast."

"No, no. I got it." he said. Then he got up and walked out of the room without another word.

The rest of the day Marcus found himself getting paranoid, always glancing at the windows, praying he wouldn't see the figure again.

"Marcus? Are you sure you're alright?" Shari asked as they watched a movie together.

"Huh?" He had been more focused on watching the window instead of the movie.

"Marcus, you've been starring out the window for the last ten minutes, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just... I don't know. I'm tired. I'm gonna go to bed." he sighed, standing up. "Goodnight Shari." he said, then he walked out of the room and upstairs.

"I'm going crazy." he mumbled as he starred at himself in the bathroom mirror. "My imagination's gone haywire. Wait... don't have an overactive imagination. Do I?"

He growled at himself before walking into the bedroom. He was about to go to bed when curiosity got the better of him and he walked over to the window.

The storm had cleared leaving behind clear star streaked skies and a visible light from the moon.

And sitting there on the brick wall was the figure.

Marcus gasped as the figure looked up at him. It looked like a teenager in a black trench coat and nothing more.

He watched as the boy stood up and watched him sadly with deep yellow eyes. Then he ran off in a flash and dissapeared.

Marcus starred. "I'm being stalked by a kid?!" he gasped.

The rest of the night he remained wide awake in bed, thinking about what was happening and why.

And that's the end of chapter 2.


	3. an old friend returns

Discclaimer: I don't own the O'Mallys.

Ginger: I've run out of comments so just read.

Marcus spent the next few days in a befuddled state. There were several more times when he had seen the boy and each time the boy just seemed sadder and sadder. He was determined to get to the bottom of it. So the next day he searched around the neighborhood trying to find the boy.

He convinced Shari to go spend a night out with her girlfriends just so he could watch out the window.

Sure enough, just like everyother night, the boy returned, sitting on the wall, starring at the sky.

Marcus quietly snuck out trying not to alert him.

But it was too late, he heard.

"Freeze or I'll shoot!" he threatened raising his gun.

The boy whirled around and Marcus was astonished at the anger.

"Then just do me a favor and kill me!" he snapped. "Go ahead!"

Marcus was taken aback by the sudden outburst.

"Aren't you gonna shoot me?!" the boy growled.

"Who are you and why do you keep following me?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know? I'm the assassin sent to kill you."

Marcus starred. The boy had to be lying.

"Don't believe me? Well you should see the contract and the bounty on your head in the underground. You'd be surprised."

"If you're an assassin, why haven't you already killed me?"

"Becuase I don't want to." he sighed. "Mafia bosses are an easy hit. You... .well, let's just say I don't go after good guys."

"How old are you?" he asked.

"I'm sixteen, got a problem with it?"

"Are you the one that's been assassinating the mafia bosses?"

"Yeah, I am. What of it?"

"You do know you have practiacaly the entire federal government searching for you right?"

"Let them find me!" he challenged. "The sooner I'm dead, the better off I'll be!"

Marcus lowered his gun and starred.

The boy was obviously suicidal.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"None of your business!"

Marcus watched as he begain to growl before he nearly passed out, falling backwards onto his backside.

The kid shook his head vigorously.

When he looked up, Marcus saw a compleatly different person.

"I was getting suicidal again wasn't I?" he asked softly.

Marcus just nodded, not sure of what to say.

"I'm sorry. I'm just... not right in the head." he grumbled. "I've kinda got split personalities. But the other side of me only shows when I'm threatened."

Marcus walked over and reached a hand out to help him.

He starred. "You're going to... help me?" he asked in surprise.

"Well, you haven't killed me yet, only spooked me."

The boy took his hand and accepted the help. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make them think I was scouting. I was hoping I'd scare you enough that you might run. Not start looking for me."

"What's your name?"

"Matt." he said, brushing himself off.

"Well, I'm..."

"Marcus O'Mally. I know. After all, I was sent to kill you."

"Why won't you?"

"I told you, I don't kill god guys. The mafia's a different story."

"Uh huh. Do your parents know?"

"They died, when I was ten. My father used to be a hunter. He tought me how to shoot. So I became an assassin to support my sister and my baby brother."

"Where are they?"

"Emma's an intern at a hospital. Cameron lives with her. Most of the money I earn goes to them."

"Where do you live?"

"In an abandoned metro tunnel." he admitted. "I only keep enough to get by."

Marcus couldn't believe what he was hearing. "SO... who sent you after me?"

"Kloski." he said.

Marcus knew the name.

Kloski was an infamous leader of the russian mafia. Once he put a price on your head, you usualy didn't live for more than a day.

"Why does he want me?" Marcus asked.

"Revenge and all that junk. You sent his son to jail where he earned the death penaltly. He wants you dead and once he finds out I let you live, we're both going to be in huge trouble."

"So you're risking your life to let me live?"

"You have a family." said Matt simply.

"Well, so do you." he countered.

"I haven't seen them in five years." he admitted.

"So? You still have a family. How long will it take for Kloski to realize?"

"A couple weeks at most. His guys aren't as smart as me." he said with a chuckle.

"Right. So, what are you going to do now?"

"Go home." he shrugged.

"I'll make you a deal. You help me stop Kloski and I'll give you a place to stay and I'll help you get reunited with your brother and sister." said Marcus.

Matt starred. "I'm supposed to kill you and you're going to let me stay here?" he said amaized.

"It's all up to you."

"And I thought I was messed up in the head?" he said with a smile. "But what about your wife? Shari right?"

Marcus starred.

"I do my homework before I take out a target, trust me. I'm not stupid. I'm also not stupid enough to go after a cop."

"I'll take care of Shari. But you have to help me stop Kloski, deal?"

Matt shook his hand and nodded. "Deal. What do you want to know first? Kloski's hide out, or the best way to get to him?"

"I've got a better question. Have you eaten yet?"

"No, why?"

"Come on in. You need to eat." he said, walking twords the door.

"You're going to feed me?"

"No one can think on an empty stomach." said Marcus. "Now are you comming?"

Matt reluctantly followed Marcus into the house.

After a few minutes Marcus set down a bowl of chili in front of the boy and he imidiatly started eating. It was obvious he barely saved himself any money.

"So, you can't be going through all of this trouble just because I'm a cop can you?" he asked sitting beside Matt.

"Maybe." he said.

"Care to elaborate?"

Matt looked up at him. "I guess you don't recognize me after four years do you?" he asked.

Marcus shook his head.

"Afraid not." he admited. He had no idea where he had ever met the boy.

"When I was eleven I snatched your wallet in the metro." he reminded him. "Then I felt bad, so I gave it back to you and told you the truth."

Marcus remembered now. Matt had been a tiny kid living in the metro station as a hermit. Now he remembered his kindness tword the child.

"You actualy fed me, since I told you the truth and returned everything in your wallet. After that I got used to your visits. You'd bring me something every Monday. You'd always see me helping people and never getting anything in return. Then on my birthday, when I turned twelve, you told me it'd be your last time getting on the metro at that stop because you moved to a new appartment. Then you gave me a card and you left. You gave me a birthday card with a hundred and fifty dollars in it and told me to spend it wisely."

"And did you?" he asked, remembering everything.

"You fed me for two months with that money." said Matt thankfully. "I had food for two months, a new sweater for the winter, a new pair of shoes and a nice sleeping bag to keep warm in. I still have that sleeping bag. It's worn well."

"I'm glad you put that money to good use. I figured you would."

"You once said if you could, you would take me in, but you knew I wanted to be alone, didn't you?"

Marcus nodded remembering the issues Matt had with himself, his reasons for hiding alone in the abandoned metro tunnel.

"I would've gotten you help you know?" he said.

"Yes, but then I wouldn't of been able to help support my sister and my baby brother. Mind you, sometimes I've regreted that decision. If I'd of come with you, I wouldn't kill for a living." he sighed. "It pays well, but it lays heavy on my conscious. Even heavier on my heart."

"I'm sure it does. God made it so that killing is against human nature."

Matt glanced up at him. "You told me you didn't believe in God."

"And you always have." he remembered.

"That's because I know an angel. A real one." he said with a smile.

Marcus blinked. "What do you mean?"

"He's one of those special ones. He lives on earth because he was created by a human and one of the fallen. I've seen his wings." he said smiling.

Marcus chuckled. "Now you're joshing me."

"NO joke. I'm serious. He's very intelligent. Much younger than me but very, very smart."

"And what's this kid's name?"

"He's my little brother. We don't have the same father. His wasn't human."

"Right. I'll believe that when I see it." said Marcus skepticly.

"Suit yourself." Matt shrugged. "Either way, I still believe things happen for a reason."

"I'm starting to believe the same." said Marcus. He smiled as Matt yawned and his head dipped slightly as he tried to eat the last bit of his food. "You're getting tired. You should get to sleep."

"Kay." he yawned sleepily.

Marcus chuckled and helped Matt upstairs and into the guest room. He watched Matt fall onto the bed and fall asleep imidiatly. So he covered him up, leaving his shoes hanging off the end of the bed uncovered.

"He's deffinatly grown into an adult." said Marcus softly. Then he walked out of the room to wait for Shari.

"Well, you're looking better tonight." said Shari walking in the door. "You don't seem so paranoid."

"I figured out what was scaring me." he said. "Do you mind if an old friend stays for a while?"

"Umm... I guess not. When will he be here?"

"He's the sixteen year old assassin sleeping in the guest room."

Shari starred. "Excuse me?"

"Remember I told you about that little boy that I met in the metro about four years ago?"

"Yes. Why?" she asked sitting beside him.

"Well, he's grown up. He's an assassin now and he was supposed to kill me. Apparently the russian mafia's after me."

"Marcus! You have a murder upstairs?!"

"He's not quite a murderer. He has a conscious. That's why he's offered to help me stop the guy that wants me dead. Because I helped him when he was little."

"If he has a conscious why does he murder people?"

"He doesn't exactly murder, he assassinates the mafia bosses that would've gotten the death penalty for their crimes anyway."

"So he's the mafia assassin you've been looking for?"

"I guess so." he agreed.

"And your giving him a home?"

"They'll kill him if they find out he's letting me live. If we work together we both might actualy survive."

"Alright, I suppose he could stay." Shari reluctantly agreed.

"Come here a moment." said Marcus standing up.

Shari followed him upstairs to the guest room.

"Is that him?" she whispered when she saw the sleeping teen.

"Yes. Does he look like a murderer to you?" Marcus asked softly.

"He looks troubled." she admitted.

"That comes from all of the assassinations he's done."

"Where does he live right now?" she asked him curiously.

"In one of the old metro tunnels no longer used. He hides there and he has since he was eleven. He prefers to keep to himself."

"Why?"

"Split personalities. One side of him is highly suicidal. Because of it he tries to stay away from others. I offered to help him when he was younger, but he refused. He'd accept my temporary help and my friendship, but that was all."

"He looks so tired." Shari whispered, walking around the bed to get a better look at the boy. She reached out and gently brushed back his over grown bangs. "He needs a shower, and a nice haircut."

"I'm sure he'd accept. But for now, let's let him sleep."

And that's exactly what they did.

That's chapter three! Thanks for reading!


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